And so it was said, All things must come to an end.
Looking over this, I realized over the years how my writing style changed and the growth behind it. Needless to say, this piece was absolutely fun to write and I'm happy I was able to give it a decent ending.
Though this is the final chapter to this story, I have one more story to post where I really get my creative juices flowing! Check out the excerpt in the last chapter of OTMD.
Everyone, have a safe and Happy Holiday!
Everything stopped.
Everyday Joey asked himself the question, "Was I wrong?". Was Seto seriously considering dropping everything for him? There just couldn't be an actual explanation and even with deductive reasoning, there was no explanation as to what came over Seto and why he wanted to be with Joey. It was now April and the only time he had seen Seto was in television interviews or magazines. He wasn't even seen down at Euphoria, which was unheard of. Even when Seto missed the March Mesh Madness, Mesh-heads everywhere thought that they would faint when Seto never walked through the doors.
"What did you to him, Joey?" Tristan asked across the dinner table. They were sitting in some fancy restaurant that Mai and Téa insisted they have their wedding party at. They had reserved a large table in the private party section and with four tables put together, the length extended to fit almost thirty people.
"Will you not ruin my dinner right now Tristan? You asked me that a week after New Years and I told you to fuck off. Why are you blaming me? He's the one who thinks as soon as he shakes his dick at someone, we're supposed to bend at his will," he whispered harshly. "I'm not ruining Mai and Téa 's dinner."
"-Seto! You made it!" Came Mai's enthusiastic cheer.
"Fuck!" Joey cursed, slamming his fist down on the table. Duke reached for his wine glass to keep it from spilling over.
"Jojo, calm down. He'll be seated at the other end. You won't even have to know he's here."
But he did know. He could feel the other's presence from the other side of the room and Seto, as usual, was dressed to kill. There was nothing like a man in a three piece suit and Joey could feel himself hardening underneath the table at the mere thought of Seto doing nasty things to him while still wearing it.
"Kaiba looks good," Téa said taking her seat next to Yugi who was back from Egypt, just in time for the wedding. Yami was next to him knocking back glasses of champagne like shots.
Joey watched Mai wrap her arms around Seto in a gentle, greeting hug and Joey's mouth watered as he watched Seto's muscles ripple beneath his suit. He smacked himself in the forehead. What the hell was he thinking? Maybe he was just post traumatized after Mako.
Mako.
Just the sound of the name made him want to start a fire. After New Year's, he had yet to talk to the other one even though for several days, his phone didn't stop ringing. Missed calls and voicemails flooded his phone, but he refused to answer them back. The Mako and Joey ship had sailed and if there was ever a time that Joey felt ill on thoughts of a real relationship, now was it.
He stared down towards the end of the table where Mai and Téa sat happily. The smiles on their faces were contagious. He was proud and happy for them. At least someone got the chance to live out their happily ever after. Joey glanced across the table and his eyes locked with Seto. Blue eyes bored into his. The other lifted a glass to his lips and took a sip of his wine, a smirk wrapping itself around the lip of the glass.
"Fuck you." Joey mouthed and he swore he heard Seto chuckle.
A resounding "clink" was heard around the table as Téa stood up, glass in hand.
"There are just a few words that I wanted to say to the woman that I am going to spend the rest of my life with." Téa swept a strand of her chocolate locks behind her hair as she looked out at everyone down the length of the table. "Mai makes me happy. Not every second of every minute of every day because I'd be lying if I said that her and I don't have our tiffs. But Mai makes me happy. And I want everyone to know that life is too short to care about the little things that hold us back from sharing a beautiful, special love. Explore feelings and give zero fucks."
"Here, here!" Tristan held up his glass, making everyone laugh.
"Mai, I want you to know that there is no one else in this world that I would rather spend my life with. You've given me courage. You've given me power. You've made me believe in myself when I was down. You've taught me. But most of all, you've loved me."
A chorus of sighs and awes went around the table as everyone lifted their glass and toasted the new couple. Once Téa had taken her seat, Mai leaned over and whispered something in her ear that made the other blush.
Joey down his entire glass in one gulp.
The music was loud. Joey leaned back against a table as he held a beer in hand watching the party goers indulging themselves in dancing and eating and talking. His buddies had escaped to where ever leaving him to himself.
"Jojo, you're not dancing." Mai sidled next to him.
"Nope. Not tonight." Joey turned to her. "Cute speech Téa gave. Almost had me shed a tear or two."
"Bullshit. You don't cry. Well, at least not over syrupy sentiments." Mai bit her lips as if she was thinking of the next words to say. "I don't think Kaiba came here tonight solely for the purpose of congratulating me and Téa. I think he was hoping to see you."
Joey held out his hands. "Well here I am and he has yet to talk to me."
"Maybe he's waiting on you to make the first move."
Joey dropped his hands. "Yeah right. Kaiba never had any trouble making the first move."
"You're an adult Jojo. And as much as you want to give up on love because of what Mako did, don't. Mako was a special case. Still is a special case if you ask me. You deserve more! I don't understand why you're torturing yourself. You need to be loved just as much as anyone I know."
"Mai," Joey began. He stared into her eyes and he wanted her to know that this would be the end of the discussion. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm done with this talk about Seto. I'm tired of it."
"I never thought in a million years I would actually see you like this."
"Well, there's a first time for everything. Right?" Joey dropped his beer to the table and brushed past Mai walking over to where his sister was talking to Mokuba. "I'm out of here, Seren." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "See you tomorrow at the wedding?"
"Yeah." Serenity turned concerned eyes on her brother. "Joey, what's wrong?"
"I'm just...tired. Love you." He ruffled Mokuba's hair. "See you brat."
"Asshole." Mokuba muttered trying to fix his hair.
The first breaths of fresh air to Joey's lungs was refreshing. He skipped down a few steps before standing on the end of the sidewalk trying to hail a cab. He didn't want to bother his friends with trying to get a ride home. He figured he needed the time to himself. He shouldn't have got mad at Mai. She had only been looking out for him. She had always tried to look out for him. They had shared that protective brother-sister bond and she had always cared for him. But sometimes her concern turned too motherly and it was like his parents stagnant clutch. He needed to breathe. He needed to do things his way. He needed to take things at his own pace.
It had been four months and he was still trying to seal back the pieces of his broken heart and get his thoughts in tact. It wasn't easy just to get dumped and revert back to the single life. It took time to heal. And the last thing he wanted was to get into a shaky relationship with Kaiba.
I want you just as much as you want me, but I see now that it's hopeless.
Joey scratched at an itch on the back of his neck. He couldn't help, but wonder if Seto wasn't himself that night. Things just didn't add up and Joey didn't want to get his feelings in the mix. They didn't have sex that night, but the intimacy in just the closeness of being next to the other, being held by the other, was just too much. What it came down to was that it all seemed to good to be true.
A black, fancy car pulled up to the sidewalk and Joey backed up. The windows rolled down and he leaned his head down to get a peek at the person behind the wheel.
"How much for the night?"
"You can't afford me!"
Seto smiled, his fingers swiftly moving over the control to unlock the doors. "Get in, Wheeler. I want to talk."
"Why are you doing this?" Joey asked. "I can find my own way home."
"Does it really surprise you that I like spending time with you? Now get your ass in the car before someone thinks I'm really trying to buy you. Save me some dignity. I don't want it leaked to the press that I have to buy dick."
Joey grabbed the doorknob and yanked open the door before hopping into the leather bound bucket seat to which he sunk into. Joey watched slender fingers grip the steering wheel and pull off down the road. Damn. Seto handled everything so well. The steering wheel, his body, Joey's body...
"How has life been for you?"
"Busy. Haven't really had time to myself, you know?"
"No, not actually. I've had plenty of time to myself. Concentrating on school for the most part. I'll be done come May."
"That's good to hear. Have you met anyone?"
Joey snickered. "No. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind." Joey paused. "You?"
"Same."
When they got to Joey's apartment, Joey allowed Seto inside. Their last meeting had left off on a bitter note and Joey didn't want a repeat. He settled Seto down with a stiff drink to get him comfortable and the two settled on the couch in silence as the television played softly in the background.
"Will you be at the wedding tomorrow?" Joey asked and Seto nodded.
"Yes. And then in a few days I'll be out of the country for some meeting. Probably for about a week."
"Must be nice to be fancy. Big corporations, fancy hotels, pretty boys..."
Seto lolled his head around and looked at Joey. "I don't do that anymore. I'm saving myself for the right one."
"Yeah," Joey laughed. "The idea of you being celibate is laughable."
Seto sighed. "You're right. But I was talking about something on a more serious note. The lesbians had me thinking. They're little commitment thing is almost...cute."
"Téa's speech touch a soft spot?"
"Something like that. Tell me you've given up on Mako? I'd like to hear I still have a chance. Unless you still think I'm a creep."
"I'll always think you're a creep."
Seto licked his lips and reached his hands forward, wrapping at the nape of Joey's neck. He pulled him towards him, brushing his lips against the blond's pouty mouth. "Would you believe me if I said this creep missed you?"
"We're both horny messes. This could go completely south."
"I'm willing to take the risk."
Joey leaned closer capturing Seto's lips in a hard kiss. Just the simple touch had Joey falling lax against the other and he moved to straddle Seto's waist. His hands roamed through the brown strands, caressing his scalp in time with the stroke of his lips.
"We should...go to...the bedroom." Seto suggested, holding Joey's hips down to put more pressure onto his swelling arousal.
"No..." Joey sighed into his mouth. "Right here."
Seto picked Joey up and tossed him back onto the couch settling himself between the other's legs. "What if your friends come back?"
"It'll give them something to start rumors over." Joey reached up and pulled Seto to kiss him again. He moaned. The touch of Seto's hand between his legs, had him shivering against the upholstery of the couch and he arched his back wanting more. Joey's kiss was desperate, his body begging for the warmth of Seto's flesh.
Seto pulled away, staring down at Joey. "I want a decision by tomorrow morning. My cock is too hard right now to hear your indecision."
"Then you better make this good."
Joey felt the kisses down his neck, the feel of his jeans coming undone. The last time things happened between the two of them, they ended the tryst abruptly when Joey felt taken advantage. Now he wanted to be taken advantage of. He was behind the four walls of his apartment and outside the cafe getting jerked off. Seto's actions were different. He was tentative; the most Joey had ever seen. Joey tilted his head as he watched Seto give tender love bites over the flat of his stomach until he reached the waistband of his boxers.
"What are you doing?" Joey whispered as the soft pads of Seto's fingers moved over his hips, gripping his boxers and jeans.
"Showing how much I want to be with you."
Joey gasped as the air hit the tip of leaking cock and he looked up to the ceiling. He tried not to get emotional. This had been the man he had walked up to and asked about a friends with benefits relationship. Just to fuck and let go. But now...
Now...
Now Joey laid on his back thinking about all the good and bad times he had with the other. A few weeks ago, he would have thought that it had been him laying on the thick and heavy compliments. The molasses sweet sentiments that couples endeared to one another.
"Look at me, baby," He heard Seto say and he did as he was told.
Joey watched as Seto put the tip of his cock in his mouth. At the first taste of Joey, Seto's eyes closed as he relished in the delicacy. He then went further down until just half the flesh was between his lips and when he pulled back, Joey watched his cock glisten. He wanted more! He tried to move up to feel the mouth again, but Seto held his hips down.
"My pace. I want to make love to you. Show you what that is."
"I didn't know that word existed to you."
"For those I care about the most."
Joey whimpered as his cock was devoured between hungry lips. Seto's tongue swirled around the tip while the length was encased in a warm, slick heat. How the hell was he doing that? Joey's hand moved to the dark flow of locks and gripped. Seto's head bobbed in a slow and torturous rhythm sending Joey's mind reeling. He needed this. Gods, he needed this. He was going to come and come hard.
Until Seto pulled away. Joey groaned in frustration, reaching for Seto and pulled him on top of his body, his hands clawing at the other's shirt until it was off of his body. Seto undid the buttons on Joey's shirt and leaned down to kiss him. Seto's tongue ran languid circles over Joey's and a heated battle ensued, Joey's hands moving down the muscled and toned back of the man on him.
"You," Joey said once the kiss was broken. "I want to put you in my mouth."
"No," Seto pushed him back. "As soon as you put your lips around me, I'm going to come in your mouth and I don't want to finish there."
They quickly stripped out of their clothes and Joey was forced to turn around; Seto behind him. He lifted his ass, looking over his shoulder to look at the other. Seto quickly wet his fingers and pushed a finger within Joey's tight entrance. Joey trembled, pushing back on the intrusion. He bowed his head as another finger joined the first.
"Fuck, Seto. That feels so-ugh!"
Joey felt Seto's tongue rounding his puckered hole, startling him. He jumped forward, but Seto yanked his hips back, his fingers stretching him, his tongue soothing him. Joey reached between his own legs, gripping his cock in hand and stroking.
"Yes," he hissed, rubbing himself in cadence to Seto's tongue. Joey could feel himself getting dizzy with lust. He could hear the slick sounds of Seto's moving fingers and Joey's knees buckled.
Seto chuckled, slapping one of his cheeks. "I want you on top." Seto sat down and Joey tried his best on shaking legs to get in position. Once he straddled the other, he spit on Seto's cock, and started to pull up and down until he felt that he was wet enough. He positioned Seto at his dripping hole and sighed once the first inches made passage.
"Fuck," Seto groaned, grabbing his hips. "Oh yeah, Joey. Nice and slow. Make it last."
But Joey didn't know how much more he could take. There were so many things running through his mind. Decisions. Decisions.
As the last inches of Seto's cock was inside of him and his eyes slipped closed.
"You're hungry for me, Joey. I feel you holding on to me so tight." Seto pressed a kiss to the middle of Joey's chest. "Now fuck me like you want me."
Joey didn't know what came over him, but he found the energy to pull up and slide back down. He was hungry for it. Starved. He fucked Seto like this would be their last night together. Up and down, moving his hips in an insatiate dance.
"You like that?" Joey asked, looking down in the clouded blue eyes.
Seto nodded. "Fuck yeah, I love it," He responded, huskily. Seto's hand moved between them to stroke Joey. Seto pinched his nipples and Joey kissed him feverently.
Joey tossed his head back, his balls drawing tight and he spurted his come over Seto's stomach.
"Don't you dare stop!" Seto growled, moving his hips up into Joey, faster and harder. Joey's lips parted in a silent cry, his hands holding onto the bull beneath him. Seto's responses propelled him and he slammed his hips down, Seto so deep inside of him and making him hard again. "That's right, baby. You're going to come again for me."
Seto switched their positions, wrapping Joey's legs around his waist and fucked him until he was shooting another load between them, crying out Seto's name.
"Joey! Fuck! I'm coming! Ah, fuck, I'm coming."
Seto filled Joey until his seed was spilling out of the abused hole and onto the couch. He collapsed on Joey, just as spent as Joey was and the both slept in a lover's embrace.
Joey felt the heat of the morning sun outside and he squinting trying to adjust his eyes to the sunlight. Today was the day of Mai and Téa's wedding and he needed to get cleaned up. He rubbed a hand over his chest and looked down. There were small red hickeys on his skin and he smiled.
"Morning, Joey."
Joey looked up to see Seto standing over him, handing him a glass of water. "You're still here?" Joey asked.
"Where else would I be? Don't you want to be my plus-one for the wedding?"
Joey sat up and reached for the glass. "Is it my decision making time?" He groaned taking the offered glass and downed the contents, wetting his dry throat.
"I would like to know," Seto said sitting beside him.
Joey sighed. Why was this so hard? He looked at the male next to him and tried to convey with his eyes, what his mouth couldn't speak. He saw the hurt in the other's eyes, but it quickly went away and replaced with his typical smug of displeasure. Seto stood up, intending to leave when he swiveled around.
"You know what I think? I think you're the one that can't be taken seriously. I was vulnerable before you and all I think you want to do is use me for your own selfish needs. Just to get off. I'm not a kid anymore, Joey. I want more and I know you want it too, but you're afraid! You're a coward!"
"Don't insult me, Kaiba!" Joey shouted, standing to his feet. "I am not a coward! I am protecting what little bit of my heart I have left, that wasn't shattered by Mako for the second time! I am sorry if in that last week, I didn't believe your turn around. Even you have to admit, it was a bit bizarre. It's still crazy!"
Seto was taken aback. "You'll never be satisfied? You're a spoiled brat. No man is ever going to be good enough."
"And you think you are? Because you're sitting on a wealth of money? Because you have five cars? Because you own a big building and can order people around? You're still the self-centered piece of shit I knew in high school and no honeyed words are going to change that. The sooner you find something better, you're going to be out the door and I'll be sitting here, trying to figure out everything all over again. The simple fact is that I don't trust you."
Joey could see the words sting and he wanted to take them back.
"So what I made a few jokes about not wanting to be friends," Seto started. "Call my humor a defense mechanism as well. But I know what I want, and I wanted you. You make my change seem like a bad thing. I thought you would be grateful for it."
"It's too soon, Kaiba. You're still trying to figure out all this. Just give it some time and I'm sure you'll change your mind-"
"I won't, Joey! I don't want to! I want you!"
Joey shook his head. "I don't want to do this again. I'm sorry, but I can't."
Seto looked as if he wanted to protest, but he didn't. He turned on his heel and left the apartment, slamming the door as he done New Year's Day. Joey hated to be the bad guy. He had always been the person that played the mediator between his friends, telling them that it would all be okay. And here his world was coming down in shambles.
He would have given anything for his mouth to say yes to Seto. Everything just seemed to perfect. And he knew Seto was right in calling him a coward. He was scared. He couldn't do it again. Not when he gave Mako the chance again and the other had completely broke the little bit of trust Joey held onto.
Joey would just go to the wedding and be happy for his friends.
While still mending his broken heart.
Joey heard a whistle as he stepped into the living room. Tristan and Duke had came home while he was in shower and Joey was glad he was able to avoid them until this moment. He was able to settle himself under the soothing spray of the water and try to clear his mind.
But his mind would never be clear.
He envisioned his relationship with Seto the entire time. The faces that would stare at them as they walked hand in hand down the street. The headlines were pictured. Would they praise Seto or shame him? How would Seto feel about it. Would he claim Joey? Words were one thing, but actions set a different precipice.
"You look good, babe." Duke smiled.
"I think we look good," Tristan said pulling the both of them under his arm. He kissed both of their temples, which they grimaced at. "Since when have my kisses been refused?"
"Don't you go getting all sugary on me too." Joey pulled away and walked to the kitchen to get some water.
"That doesn't have anything to do with Seto, does it?" Duke asked and Joey shook his head.
"Nope, and let's not mention it."
"Oh come on!" Tristan shoved his hands in his pocket and leaned back, dramatically. "We saw those eyes last night at the party."
Joey shrugged. "He came over last night, we fucked and we left it at that. Nothing more..."
"Nothing less," Duke finished. "You asked him out and he said no."
"No. He wants to date and I said no," Joey corrected.
Duke and Tristan looked at each other in shock.
And then Tristan burst out in a laughter that brought tears to his eyes. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me!"
"I think it's sweet. Not the Joey denying him part, but the fact that Domino's number one man-whore has found 'The One'. You better get on that Jojo, he's got money and he's good in bed? Don't find that too often, honey. Trust me, I've looked."
"It's not about that." Joey gave a frustrated growl. "Look, I don't want to talk about this right now. I want to be able to enjoy myself this afternoon, so you cunts, cut the shit."
Tristan's lips slacked. "Okay, babe."
The three of them left the apartment to go to the car. Much to Joey's dismay, he spotted an abundant amount of dark blue hair making its way towards them. He did not want to deal with this person right now. He was about to ignore Mako, his hand on the passenger seat door, when he was yanked away. He shoved Mako back.
"Are you fucking crazy?" Joey's cry carried down both ends of the sidewalk.
"I'm sorry, Jo. I know I have been M.I.A since New Years and I never intended t do that-"
"You never intend to do a lot, Mako!" Joey interjected. "You're just full of excuses, but I am done this time. I am really done. I gave you another chance and what did you do? You managed to fuck that up as well."
"I am dealing with other issues, Joey, but that is solved now."
"NO!" Joey bellowed, silencing the other. The entire block seemed to fall into an eerie silence. Joey shook his head. "I won't do this again Mako."
Mako backed away, but Joey still hadn't moved as he stared down the other. This was it. Joey was letting go of the pain that he had felt for so long. The years he had tormented himself thinking that he had been wrong in all this. Always wanting to love, but never having the courage to because he thought it was something wrong with himself.
Seto had been right.
It was no one else fault, but Joey's. He had been stupid when he thought he would be able to salvage anything between him and Mako. Joey wouldn't be stupid or selfish anymore. Seeing Mako in front of him had sparked something inside of him. An epiphany. A realization that he would never have what he truly wanted if he held onto the male standing in front him.
"Damn you, Mako," Joey breathed, pulling on the door handle.
"I tried, damnit! I tried!" Mako cried and Joey released the door handle and walked over to Mako pulling his hand back and socking a good one to the side of his face.
"Holy shit!" Tristan shouted over top of the car just as Mako went down to the sidewalk, clutching his face.
Joey hissed, pulling his fist to his chest, howling in pain. "Damn that hurt like a son-of-a-bitch!"
"We'll wrap it up once we get to the wedding," Duke said, his hands on Joey's shoulders, guiding him to the car and getting him inside of the car. "Get in," Duke told Tristan, trying to keep his own composure.
Tristan cackled the entire way to the wedding venue.
"Well I can't say he didn't deserve it," Mai said, her fingers working delicately on Joey's hand. She was on her knees on the purple carpet that had been laid out in her dressing tent. "But you couldn't have waited until after the wedding? Now my best man has to walk around with swollen knuckles."
"The ring is going on your finger, not mine. Ah," He sucked in a breath as Mai touched tender part of his hand, still wrapping it with gauze. "You look good," he complimented.
Mai was in a fashionable white pants suit. Her pants were long and tapered, hugging her curvy hips and making her ass look extra plump. And the blazer jacket was left open and nothing underneath, but the peek of her perky cleavage. A gold chain laid between the valley of her breast, tucked daintily under each breast. Mai's curls had amassed a volume that framed her face. Her makeup was neutral and brought out her gorgeous eyes. Had Joey been straight, he would have jumped on her at first glance. And he felt guilty as she helped dress his hand.
"I know," she said cheekily, her lips pursing cutely, covered in a thick gloss. "There." She stood up and helped him stand, trying to fix his black tux, that clung to his body perfectly.
She released a deep breath and he could tell she was scared. "It's going to be okay, Mai."
"I know," She patted his arms, looking up into his eyes. "I'm still nervous. You talk about getting to this point, but no one ever knows how it is until it's finally the day. I want to marry her. I'm going to marry her. It's forever Joey."
"Can't wait until I find my forever. But when I do, I hope it's a love like you and Téa's."
"Oh honey, you will." Mai leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Joey."
"I love you too. Now get out there and marry Téa so I can drink until I no longer feel this ridiculous pain."
As the wedding march began, Joey watched from behind, Mai's shoulder tensing up. And then Téa appeared. She was in a modest white sheath dress, a bouquet of violets and baby's breath in hand. Her dark brown hair had been in classic waves, framing her face as it had done vintage actresses of the past. Joey could have swore he heard Mai and sniffled and he glanced at Yugi who was making a dramatic crying face. Joey snickered and Mai elbowed him in the ribs.
The audience laughed.
"To go along with your mutilated hand," Mai growled out the side of her mouth and Joey grinned.
Téa's veil and train trailed behind her. They both matched the flowers in hand and when she reached the podium where Mai stood, Joey could see the happiness behind the veil. He hadn't lied when he said he wanted a love like the two of them. How he had wanted the same look on his face as it was on Téa's.
The ceremony continued beautifully, the vows just as poetic as Téa's speech at the dinner the night before. Joey looked out into the crowd, catching his sister wiping her eyes of tears, Mokuba reaching for her hand. Even though they weren't back together, they had decided to start things from the beginning and take it slow. Serenity had changed her ways and decided that it was time for her to act like a well-mannered young woman, instead of a raging hormonal slut.
His mother and father sat side by side. Joey could remember when his father had first come down the stairs in a dress. Joseph Senior's secret had been he enjoyed the soft silks of women's clothing. His passion was drag. And his mother didn't stray from his side. She supported him when he needed it and had never mentioned a divorce. Their father had never been mean to them, and they still respected him. But damn was it a lot easier to come out to his parents after seeing his father walked down the stairs as Cleopatra.
Joey was happy that his friends, Duke and Tristan, had reconciled their differences. They would always banter back and forth, but nothing would ever break the three of them apart. They loved each other no matter what, and Joey was grateful.
And he was apologetic to Seto.
Seto.
The brooding, chocolate haired adonis was sitting in the front row in a slate gray three piece suit. He didn't look like the young guy in Euphoria, looking to get a piece of anything on two legs and dick between his legs. No. He looked like a gentleman. The same business man that sat behind the desk and would have personal conversations with Joey. Joey had remembered the relaxing talks at the cafe. When things weren't hostile between them them, things could be good. Joey could see a relationship.
They caught eyes, but Seto quickly turned back to ceremony.
Joey had fucked up. He knew he had fucked up and now he needed to try and fix it. And it wouldn't be the latched on the arm, begging, pleading his soul kind of fixing.
He would just opt for embarrassing himself to complete and utter shame.
Glasses clinked, mouths were stuffed, and the dancing ensued. Joey clutched his hand close to him as he squeezed through the tight crowd to get the table where his family sat.
"Honey, what happened to you?" Mrs. Wheeler asked, standing up immediately and touching his arm.
"Men, Ma-ma. Men."
Serenity snickered. "You need to start going to the gym with Tristan."
"Shut up, Seren. That's why you were adopted."
Serenity licked out her tongue.
"Kids." Joseph Senior warned.
"Oh Joey, you should have immediately put ice on that! It's going to kill you tomorrow!"
"Oh Ma, I'll be fine." A champagne tray whizzed by for one of the waiters. Joey quickly reached for one and downed it.
Mrs. Wheeler reached behind her to the table and picked up her own champagne flute handing it to Joey. "You're going to need more where that came from if you plan on numbing that pain in your arm."
"Yes," Joey looked down at his mother. Always kind and sweet looking after him as mother's should. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure, honey."
They walked to a secluded area down the beautiful green lush field that stretched for miles and miles. Mai was able to get a country club to agree to let her have both the wedding and reception ceremony there. His mother linked her arm under his and pulled him close.
"What's bothering you, Jojo?" She asked as they continued their walk in the gorgeous spring weather. "You plan on telling me what happened to your hand?"
Joey sighed. "Mako came to the house and I was angry so I punched him."
Mrs. Wheeler tisked. "You should know better than to result to violence, Joey. I don't like it."
Joey nodded and leaned in to press a kiss against her temple.
"You did make sure he didn't get up, right?"
Joey snickered against her skin and then pulled back looking down at her. "I can always count on you." He stopped and turned her to him. "I need your opinion about something."
"Shoot." She urged, sounding like one of his friends.
"I'm in a situation. Mako did a lot of damage to me and in return, I did a lot of damage to myself and I hurt someone I care about. Well, I think I care about."
Mrs. Wheeler smiled, stretching from ear to ear.
"Ma, why you looking at me that?" Joey asked, rolling his eyes and blushing.
"Because, I haven't see you like this since you've met Mako. And back then, how did you feel? Before you-know-what happened."
"I was happy. Felt like the world couldn't stop us. I wanted to be with him for as long as I could. As long as he wanted me to. And even after that, it took everything in me to keep myself from answering his calls. To completely withdraw myself from him-"
"Oh, Joey. You never know what's going to happen so you can't keep yourself from wanting to be happy. Look at Téa and Mai? They just got married! They don't know what may happen in the next couple of years, but they're willing to try. Look at me and your father; I haven't left him despite what he enjoys. You can either stick with it or you can't. You couldn't with Mako, but apparently, you can with Seto. If this is who this is about. I say...go for it."
Joey returned the smile and pulled his mother in for a one handed hug. "You think he'll try with me? After everything I've done to him?"
"You better sing like your father does."
Seto decided that his time at the reception was drawing to a close. He didn't have much to do at home, but he was tired and there wasn't much to do. He had wanted to talk to Joey, but being as though Joey was the best man at the wedding, most of his time had been preoccupied with talking with family and friends. Seto wasn't much for talking to strangers and this wasn't exactly the dancefloor at Euphoria. So Seto sought out Mokuba to tell him he was about to leave.
"Ah," Mokuba groaned. "Do you have to?"
Seto glanced to Serenity next to him who was talking animatedly with her mother.
Seto smiled. His brother would be fine. "Yeah, I'm kind of tired," he lied.
Mokuba raised an eyebrow and he stood up, telling Serenity he would be back. He pulled Seto off to the side. "This doesn't have anything to do with Joey, does it?"
Seto scoffed. "Why would this have anything to do with-"
Seto was interrupted as the clinking sound of metal hitting glass and everyone turned their attention to the stage where the wedding singer had been standing not that long before. Joey was standing there, wine glass in hand. He handed his fork off to Tristan in the front row, looking as though he was trying to keep in his laughter.
"I just wanted everyone's attention for just a minute because I wasn't able to give my best man speech to the lovely wedding couple, Téa and Mai Valentine."
Everyone surrounding Seto started to clap.
"Anyway," Joey continued. "I met Téa in high school. Never picked her for the lesbian type since she had always been chasing down the guy in our class with the awesome hair," Joey winked at Yugi, who was sitting at a table, hand clutched in Yami's grip. "But needless to say, when we all had our ups and downs, Téa was always there to get us back together. So, I can understand why Mai chose her. But Mai?" Joey grinned. "The first time I saw her," Joey whistled. "I knew she was the hottest piece of meat I had ever saw. But...I knew I was gay when even the sight of Mai's rack didn't get me hard."
Everyone in the crowd laugh, including the low chuckle that came from Seto.
"Pipe down, Mai looks like she's going to murder me," Joey smirked.
"No, I am!" Téa shouted and more laughter ensued.
"Okay, okay, on a more serious note, I have never been more happy for the both of them. They deserve one another. They're good for one another. Though Mai is a little feisty, she's a woman who has made her own, she's smart, she's beautiful and I'm happy to call her my friend. And I'm the only one standing in this spot, because I'm about the only man she can tolerate."
"I also," he continued. "Want to apologize to someone." Joey looked to Seto. "And not some bullshit apology, but a sincere one. I'm sorry, Seto."
Seto felt all the blood drain rush to his face and he was filled with embarrassment being put on the spot. He could feel the eyes of everyone, burning into him. But Seto could only keep his eyes on Joey's whose apology was deep in the amber pools.
"I'm sorry for the way I was to you when you were only trying. And you were right. I was scared. I am still scared. I'm scared of the unknown. I'm scared of where this would go. I'm scared to fuck up. But I can't be. I have to at least try. For so many years, I had been selfish with my heart because I was afraid of it getting broken again. No matter how much I wanted a relationship, no man would have been good enough because I was afraid of what they might do to me. But I realized, a couple of hours before the wedding, that it shouldn't matter. I'm not a future teller. I just know now, I want to give us a try. If, of course, you're willing to still try with me."
Seto was speechless.
Joey smiled. "Never thought the day I'd make Seto speechless without having to knock 'im out." Joey lifted his wrapped hand, the audience laughing once more.
Seto didn't know what to do. He had never envisioned himself in a moment like this. These were moments you saw on television sitcoms! Not reality! Still, he couldn't break away from Joey's face, that glowed so beautifully in the setting sunlight. He knew he would have to do something. Running wasn't an option. It was never an option. Even when he had wanted to end all ties with the man standing on stage, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He wanted to be around Joey. He was the only other person on this Earth, besides Mokuba, to be able to bring a smile on his face.
And then Joey started singing.
"You're just too good to be true. Can't take my eyes off of you. You'd be like heaven to touch. I want to hold you so much."
Tristan was the first one to break in a roar of dramatic giggles to the point that Duke had to hold him up. Joey still kept singing, ignoring Tristan cackling. Seto bowed his head in shame, feeling the burning in his cheeks.
"You're just too good to be true. Can't take my eyes off of you."
Seto's head shot up as the band began to play. Mokuba was bumping elbows with him and Seto felt like he was going to be sick. Joey must have had one to many glasses of wine, his hips moving to the beat of the music. Tristan pulled Duke and the two of them started a tango. Mai was next, holding out her hand to her newly wedded wife the two of them dancing to music. Couples from various tables, including Joey's parents, got in on the parade.
Seto walked over to the edge of the stage where Joey was still standing.
"Get down from there before you hurt yourself some more! You've embarrassed me enough!" Seto shouted over the music to Joey who was still swaying back and forth with a playful smile on his face. "Seriously, Joey."
"Not until you say yes." Joey moved his mouth to the microphone and Seto waved his hand.
"Not again!" Seto found himself breaking his seriousness as Joey still danced about comically. "Okay," he said holding his hands up in surrender. "Fine."
Joey paused and raised an eyebrow. "Say it."
Seto smiled. "I'd like to take you out sometime. If you're not busy."
"Oh baby!" Joey hopped down from the stage, placing his drink on the stage. "You just say where and when and I'll be there." Joey wrapped his arms around Seto's neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Long and sweet. Romantic. Blissful. There were so many words Seto could have used to describe the feeling he felt, but it didn't matter. Right now it felt like only him and Joey existed.
How far they had come.
And how far they would go.
Sometimes you just needed to dabble in certain affairs in order to find the one.
The End.